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Sixth Grade Mythological Zoo

Source/Author: Amy Cobb, MS English Teacher

April 16, 2015

Middle School News

A cross-curricular project enjoyed by sixth-graders at Shorecrest is the Mythological Zoo. Teachers in art, English, science, world language, and the Media Center work together to help students bring a menagerie of magical beasts from Ancient Greece to life!

Students request the top three mythological creatures they'd like to study, and after beasts are assigned, students begin their research. A field experience to the Lowry Park Zoo to watch animals move and see examples of zoo signage was done early in the process. The students then wrote a synopsis of their beast research in English class to be used in the zoo, along with a descriptive paragraph in Spanish or French.

Next, students made sketches of how the beast is described in ancient lore. In art class, visiting artists who work with recycled materials showed them how to make lightweight, unique creatures from plastic bags, masking tape, and recycled odds and ends. Students used their tips to break down how they might build their beast from scratch - and then went for it with cardboard tubes, plastic bags, masking tape, ping pong balls and much more!

The students applied what they learned in their science unit and tied it into the beast unit when they used their newfound knowledge of building electrical circuits to wire their beast - either to light up or to move using a motor. Beasts were then given a coat of black paint as a base, and colored paint for design. More details were added such as yarn or part of a mop for hair, feathers for wings, and jewels for eyes and embellishments.

The beasts were put on display in a "zoo" staged in the Media Center for family, peers, and younger classes to come through for a tour, making it a truly interactive experience. Public speaking skills for many age levels were put to the test, and it was obvious how proud each student was of the final outcome of their beast!

In the following video, teachers and students talk about how the project has evolved and how much fun it is to learn, make, do, and problem solve at the same time!